Internal brand communication for transforming employees into brand champions: The role of knowledge and value congruence
(R2020-83957)

AUTHORS

Maja Konečnik Ruzzier, School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana; Katja Terglav, X LAB; Robert Kaše, School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana

KEYWORDS

internal branding; internal brand communication; affective brand commitment

ABSTRACT

This paper highlights the importance of employees in building and sustaining powerful brands. Specifically, we explore the impact of internal brand communication on employee brand commitment. By including employee brand knowledge and employee-brand fit as mediators, organizations develop a more comprehensive understanding of how to enhance employees’ affective brand commitment. A total of 226 employees from a hotel chain participated in the study. The results imply that it is not only the direct influence on employee commitment that is important. Rather, by continuously enriching employees’ cognition and enhancing employee brand value congruence, organizations can achieve higher levels of affective brand commitment and thus better customer service.